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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. perch — the fish
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pound — a weight
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pound — for dogs

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