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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — a phone
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. branch — a division
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fine — all right
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bear — the animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bear — the animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cell — in biology

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