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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 120 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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. perch — the fish
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fine — all right
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. chip — for betting
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. squash — to crush
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chip — in a computer

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