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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. chip — for betting
  3. race — a contest
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. spring — of water
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. race — the arms race
  9. root — of a word
  10. spring — a coil
  11. swing — music
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. root — the cause
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fine — high quality
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — to eat
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fine — all right
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. race — humankind
  24. ruler — for measuring

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