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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. clip — for paper
  6. fine — all right
  7. race — humankind
  8. rock — a stone
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pit — a hole
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rock — music
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pit — in a race
  22. race — a contest
  23. fine — high quality
  24. race — the arms race

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