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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bear — the animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. perch — the fish
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rush — to hurry

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