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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. court — for sport
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. court — of a king
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. deal — to handle
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. chip — to eat
  24. court — of law

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