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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fall — the season
  3. firm — a company
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chip — to eat
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — decided
  18. bulb — for light
  19. firm — steady
  20. chip — for betting
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bulb — for light
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bulb — of a plant

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