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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. perch — the fish
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mate — a friend
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. cue — a signal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mate — a partner
  22. cue — a hint
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mate — to breed

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