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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. perch — the fish
  3. suit — to fit
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — electricity
  6. shower — rain
  7. chip — for betting
  8. scale — in music
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. suit — clothes
  11. shower — to wash
  12. charge — a price
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. charge — in control
  15. scale — size or range
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bark — to shout
  18. staff — a stick
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. suit — in cards
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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