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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ball — a dance
  3. perch — the fish
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stock — shares
  9. cue — for pool
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cue — a signal
  13. board — a committee
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stock — goods
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mine — for digging
  24. board — to get on

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