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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ball — a great time
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cue — for pool
  8. perch — the fish
  9. deal — to handle
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. ball — a dance
  13. dip — to sink
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cue — a hint
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cue — a signal
  18. toast — bread
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. chip — for betting
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. perch — for a bird

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