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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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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: safe · degree · kick · bear · chip · perch · mark · spell

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bear — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. kick — in football
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. perch — the fish
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. chip — to eat
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mark — a grade
  19. degree — from a university
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. degree — temperature

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