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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rock — music
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wind — moving air
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ball — a great time
  15. chip — for betting
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wind — moving air
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cabinet — ministers

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