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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. chip — for betting
  10. field — for sport
  11. field — a subject
  12. mug — a face
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. field — farmland
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pit — a hole
  24. temple — a place of worship

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