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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cue — a hint
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chip — for betting
  6. file — a line of people
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cue — a signal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. file — a document
  12. squash — the sport
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. cue — for pool
  17. file — a tool
  18. rush — hurry
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. chip — to eat
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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