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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. club — for golf
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rash — a series
  8. sharp — clever
  9. club — for dancing
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chip — for betting
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. club — a group
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pound — a weight
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rash — hasty
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. sharp — exactly

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