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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — the earth
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ground — a position
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bound — tied together
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ground — crushed
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. game — wild animals
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bound — obliged
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bound — certain
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. game — a match

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