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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. bank — for money
  2. chip — to eat
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. board — a committee
  5. perch — the fish
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fork — in a road
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. chip — for betting
  13. game — a match
  14. bank — for money
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. game — wild animals
  19. board — to get on
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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