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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bass — the fish
  8. hand — in cards
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — a contest
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bass — low music
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cue — a signal
  24. race — the arms race

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