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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: current · bay · chip · spring · perch · kick · date · mouse

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. kick — in football
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. spring — a coil
  8. perch — the fish
  9. spring — the season
  10. current — of water
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. chip — to eat
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — electric
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. spring — of water
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. current — happening now
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mouse — for a computer

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