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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. staff — employees
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. race — a contest
  9. mug — a cup
  10. race — the arms race
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mug — a face
  13. staff — employees
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mug — to rob
  18. race — humankind
  19. clip — a video
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. clip — to cut
  22. staff — a stick
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hide — to keep secret

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