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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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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: bark · swing · squash · perch · hide · mark · calf · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. perch — the fish
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mark — a trace
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. squash — the sport
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mark — a grade
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bark — of a tree

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