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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. scale — size or range
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — of a king
  9. chip — for betting
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. dip — to sink
  13. court — for sport
  14. track — a song
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. chip — to eat
  21. scale — in music
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — magic
  24. court — of law

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