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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. object — to protest
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. file — a tool
  6. object — a thing
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chip — for betting
  10. suit — clothes
  11. club — a group
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. suit — to fit
  15. perch — the fish
  16. chip — to eat
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. file — a document
  21. object — an aim
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — for dancing
  24. file — a line of people

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