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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 120 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: rock · field · mug · bat · chip · mark · bay · perch

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. field — a subject
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mug — to rob
  8. chip — for betting
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rock — music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mug — a face
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mug — a cup
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. perch — the fish
  19. field — for sport
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. field — farmland
  24. rock — a stone

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