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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. perch — the fish
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. spring — a coil
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. spring — the season
  10. scale — in music
  11. cue — for pool
  12. craft — a skill
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bore — to tire
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bore — to drill
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. spring — of water
  20. craft — boats
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. chip — to eat
  23. cue — a signal
  24. craft — a handicraft

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