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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. perch — the fish
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. tear — from crying
  7. rush — hurry
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. plane — a tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. suit — to fit
  21. chip — to eat
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — clothes

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