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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. land — to come down
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. land — a country
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. land — ground
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. straw — a straw man

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