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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chip — to eat
  4. firm — decided
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pit — in a race
  7. chip — for betting
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. shower — rain
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. chair — a leader
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pit — a hole

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