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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fall — to drop
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a great time
  7. last — final
  8. bank — for money
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fall — to drop
  11. last — to go on
  12. staff — a stick
  13. perch — the fish
  14. last — finally
  15. lie — to recline
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fall — the season
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bank — for money
  23. staff — employees
  24. ball — a dance

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