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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. staff — employees
  3. spell — letters
  4. craft — boats
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. staff — employees
  7. chip — for betting
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. craft — a skill
  10. spell — a short time
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. staff — a stick
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. chip — to eat
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. spell — magic
  24. perch — for a bird

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