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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rock — music
  3. perch — the fish
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pop — music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. key — in music
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. tube — a container
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pop — to visit
  16. chip — to eat
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. chip — for betting
  19. key — for a lock
  20. craft — boats
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pop — soda

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