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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. land — a country
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chip — to eat
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — ground
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fine — high quality
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. root — of a word
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fine — all right
  18. root — the cause
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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