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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. game — wild animals
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wound — an injury
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spell — magic
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — a short time
  14. lie — to recline
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. spell — letters
  19. game — a match
  20. suit — clothes
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wound — an injury
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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