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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bat — the animal
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. key — for a lock
  10. prune — to trim
  11. key — the most important part
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. key — in music
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. spell — magic
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. chip — to eat

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