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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. chip — for betting
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mark — a trace
  14. key — the most important part
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mate — to breed
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mark — a grade
  24. net — for catching

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