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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: rock · saw · bay · chip · perch · rush · stick · snap

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rock — a stone
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rock — music
  14. chip — for betting
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. snap — to click
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rock — to move gently

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