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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chip — to eat
  4. track — a song
  5. track — to keep track
  6. toast — bread
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. charge — in control
  15. craft — a skill
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — boats
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. chip — for betting
  22. track — a path
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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