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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fall — the season
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. game — a match
  7. rush — hurry
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. perch — the fish
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rest — a break
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bear — the animal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rest — what's left
  22. game — wild animals
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. chip — in a computer

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