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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spell — magic
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. chip — for betting
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rash — hasty
  11. content — happy
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. chip — to eat
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rash — a series
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spell — letters
  23. content — the amount
  24. straw — dry grass

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