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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bound — obliged
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bound — certain
  8. last — finally
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. last — to go on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bound — tied together
  17. chip — to eat
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tube — a container
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rash — a series

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