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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rock — music
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ball — a great time
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chip — to eat
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ball — a dance
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rock — a stone
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. can — a tin
  23. perch — the fish
  24. calf — of the leg

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