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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. object — to protest
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. row — a line
  20. kick — in football
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. pass — a permit
  23. nail — on a finger
  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