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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. perch — the fish
  4. wake — a trail
  5. scale — in music
  6. chip — to eat
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pound — a weight
  16. can — a tin
  17. scale — size or range
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — a tin
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fan — a supporter

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