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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — to play on
  3. chip — to eat
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. root — of a plant
  8. dip — to sink
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. can — to be able to
  11. swing — in golf
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. root — of a word
  15. can — a tin
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. craft — boats
  18. can — a tin
  19. chip — for betting
  20. root — the cause
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. craft — a skill
  24. swing — music

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