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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. perch — the fish
  3. shower — rain
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. drill — army training
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. deal — to handle
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wake — a trail
  16. shower — to wash
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rule — government
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rule — a law
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. chip — to eat

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