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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. clip — for paper
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. spell — magic
  7. club — a group
  8. spell — letters
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. club — for dancing
  12. clip — a video
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. club — for golf
  17. chip — for betting
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. clip — to cut
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chip — to eat

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