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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ball — a great time
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rest — what's left
  6. chip — for betting
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. rest — a break
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pop — soda
  20. rest — what's left
  21. saw — the tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. saw — the tool

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