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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 120 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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. lean — thin
  7. spell — magic
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. spell — a short time
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. chip — for betting
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. spell — letters

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