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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ground — crushed
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. press — newspapers
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rest — a break
  13. chip — to eat
  14. file — a document
  15. bulb — for light
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rest — what's left
  18. file — a tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fork — in a road
  22. ground — a position
  23. press — to push
  24. bulb — for light

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