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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mug — a cup
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. land — ground
  7. march — the month
  8. chip — for betting
  9. can — a tin
  10. land — to come down
  11. march — music
  12. mug — to rob
  13. can — a tin
  14. track — a path
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. land — a country
  20. mug — a face
  21. can — to be able to
  22. march — the month
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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