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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. perch — the fish
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rush — hurry
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. charge — in control

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