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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. content — the amount
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. chip — to eat
  11. kid — to tease
  12. cap — of ice
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. content — happy
  20. kid — child
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chip — for betting

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