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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.

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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. land — a country
  6. march — the month
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. march — the month
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. land — to come down
  19. chip — to eat
  20. march — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. chip — for betting
  23. sharp — clever
  24. land — ground

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