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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. squash — the sport
  3. perch — the fish
  4. chip — to eat
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. roll — a list
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. squash — to crush
  18. roll — a cake
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com