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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. cap — a hat
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chip — to eat
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. plane — a tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. row — to paddle
  11. perch — the fish
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. row — a line
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. cap — of ice
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mug — a face
  22. cap — a lid
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mug — to rob

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