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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. track — to keep track
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. saw — the tool
  8. chip — to eat
  9. saw — the tool
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. craft — a skill
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chest — a box

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