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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. spring — the season
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. charge — in control
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spring — of water
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. charge — electricity
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. foot — a measure
  16. charge — a price
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. spring — a coil
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chip — in a computer

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