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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. object — a thing
  9. spell — a short time
  10. saw — the tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chip — to eat
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. object — to protest
  23. saw — the tool
  24. object — an aim

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