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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. swing — music
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rule — a law
  9. swing — in golf
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. swing — to play on
  16. game — wild animals
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rule — government
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. perch — the fish

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