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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. cap — a lid
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cap — of ice
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. track — to keep track
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bank — of a river
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bank — for money
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mate — a partner
  17. chip — for betting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. track — a song
  22. mate — a friend
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bank — for money

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