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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. capital — a city
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — soda
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pop — music
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rock — music
  19. perch — the fish
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. craft — boats
  24. rock — a stone

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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