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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. swing — music
  3. present — a gift
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. present — the time now
  6. pound — a weight
  7. charge — in control
  8. wound — an injury
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. date — the fruit
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. present — there
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. chip — to eat
  18. charge — a price
  19. wound — an injury
  20. perch — the fish
  21. chip — for betting
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. swing — to play on
  24. charge — electricity

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