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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. tear — to rip
  5. spring — of water
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. band — a music group
  11. mark — a grade
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. spring — the season
  16. mark — a trace
  17. spring — a coil
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. band — a ring
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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