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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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Word bank
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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: land · squash · chip · date · safe · pop · nail · perch

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. chip — for betting
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pop — to visit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. land — a country
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. squash — the sport
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pop — soda

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