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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 124 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cap — a hat
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rule — a law
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rule — government
  17. date — the fruit
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. row — a line
  20. cap — a lid
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cap — of ice

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