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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. chip — for betting
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bass — the fish
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. season — of the year
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. track — a path
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. season — in sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. firm — steady
  23. bass — low music
  24. track — a song

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