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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: perch · current · racket · can · bore · foot · race · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. can — a tin
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. bore — to tire
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. current — electric
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. foot — a measure
  14. race — a contest
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. race — the arms race
  17. can — to be able to
  18. perch — the fish
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. race — humankind
  21. chip — to eat
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. can — a tin
  24. perch — for a bird

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