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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. game — a match
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pop — music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. suit — in cards
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. suit — to fit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. perch — the fish
  14. craft — a skill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pop — soda
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — wild animals
  20. suit — clothes
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pop — to visit
  23. chip — to eat
  24. perch — for a bird

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