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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bank — for money
  9. tube — a container
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bass — low music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bank — for money
  15. tube — the underground
  16. chip — to eat
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bank — of a river
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. fall — the season
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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