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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. spell — magic
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. spell — letters
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. spell — a short time
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rest — a break
  19. chip — for betting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pitcher — a jug

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