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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 124 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — the season
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. squash — to crush
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. spring — of water
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. squash — the sport
  17. plane — a tool
  18. present — the time now
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. chip — for betting

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