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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rule — government
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. branch — a division
  9. chip — to eat
  10. firm — steady
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rule — a law
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. firm — a company
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. firm — decided
  22. scale — in music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. branch — of a tree

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