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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. ground — crushed
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mark — a trace
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. row — a line
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ground — the earth
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ground — a position
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. row — to paddle
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ruler — for measuring

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