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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mark — a grade
  5. snap — to click
  6. kick — in football
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chip — for betting
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. toast — bread
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rush — a thrill

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