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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. chip — to eat
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. plane — a tool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. scale — size or range
  10. wind — moving air
  11. chip — for betting
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. suit — clothes
  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