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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chip — to eat
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. last — to go on
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. saw — the tool
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pit — in a race
  22. last — finally
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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