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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fork — in a road
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. capital — a city
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bank — of a river
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. perch — the fish
  12. chip — for betting
  13. capital — money
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cue — a signal
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bank — for money
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bear — the animal
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bank — for money

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