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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. root — of a word
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. kick — in football
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. squash — to crush
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. perch — the fish
  14. swing — to play on
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. chip — to eat
  17. root — of a plant
  18. saw — the tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. swing — in golf
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. chip — for betting
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. squash — the sport

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