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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. chip — for betting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. branch — a division
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — an illness
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. perch — the fish
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bowl — a dish

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