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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 120 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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. club — a group
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mate — a friend
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. club — for golf
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mate — a partner
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mate — to breed
  18. club — for dancing
  19. board — a committee
  20. chest — of your body
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. board — to get on

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