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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 116 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. charge — in control
  4. can — a tin
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wound — an injury
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. charge — a price
  14. staff — employees
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wound — an injury
  18. perch — the fish
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chip — to eat
  22. staff — employees
  23. charge — electricity
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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