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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cap · fan · perch · chip · row · hide · ball · suit

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cap — a lid
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. row — a line
  19. ball — a great time
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chip — to eat
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ball — a dance

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