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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bound — certain
  5. face — to confront
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. content — happy
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bound — obliged
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. face — to point toward
  19. chip — for betting
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chip — to eat
  23. content — the amount
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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