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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. firm — steady
  6. press — a publisher
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. row — a line
  9. press — newspapers
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — a company
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. press — to push
  24. row — to paddle

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