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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mine — for digging
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. chip — to eat
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. staff — employees
  23. dip — to sink
  24. racket — a loud noise

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