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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 116 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
468
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 · mine · present · squash · chip · craft · hide · nail

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. present — the time now
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. squash — the sport
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mine — for digging
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. present — a gift
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. craft — boats
  20. squash — to crush
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. perch — the fish
  24. present — there

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