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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — to eat
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. tube — a container
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. content — the amount
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. ground — crushed
  18. content — happy
  19. tube — the underground
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rock — a stone
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. chip — for betting

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