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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. last — final
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. march — music
  8. present — there
  9. pass — a permit
  10. present — a gift
  11. last — to go on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pit — in a race
  15. present — the time now
  16. mark — a trace
  17. march — the month
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. last — finally
  24. march — the month

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