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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. file — a document
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chip — for betting
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. file — a line of people
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rock — a stone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fall — the season
  13. rock — music
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. fall — to drop
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fall — to drop
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. hand — help
  24. wave — of the sea

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