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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bass — the fish
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. chip — to eat
  8. track — a song
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bass — low music
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pound — a weight
  16. track — to keep track
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. perch — the fish
  23. chip — for betting
  24. track — a path

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