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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a tool
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. key — the most important part
  9. file — a line of people
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. key — in music
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pound — a weight

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