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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · mark · stick · mine · mouse · chip · perch · club

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. club — for golf
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rule — government
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mine — for digging
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rule — a law
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mark — a grade
  22. club — a group
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. mark — a trace

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