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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  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 kind of play
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. spring — a coil
  7. game — wild animals
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fine — all right
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fine — high quality
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. game — a match
  16. spring — the season
  17. chip — to eat
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. spring — of water
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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