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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. fall — the season
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bore — to drill
  7. race — a contest
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. chip — to eat
  12. race — humankind
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. mate — a partner
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bore — to tire
  19. board — a committee
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fall — to drop
  23. board — to get on
  24. chip — for betting

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