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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 a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chest — of your body
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. key — in music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. charge — a price
  10. chest — a box
  11. charge — in control
  12. chest — of your body
  13. race — humankind
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. charge — electricity
  17. key — the most important part
  18. chip — for betting
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. key — for a lock
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — a contest
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. chip — to eat

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