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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: face · tube · chip · perch · row · bear · club · suit

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. face — to point toward
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. face — part of the head
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bear — the animal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. row — to paddle
  10. suit — clothes
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. suit — to fit
  13. face — to confront
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. chip — for betting
  17. club — for golf
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. club — a group
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. tube — the underground
  22. chip — to eat
  23. row — a line
  24. suit — in cards

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