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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. land — ground
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. land — a country
  7. ground — the earth
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mug — a face
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mug — a cup
  13. land — to come down
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mug — to rob
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. ground — a position
  21. swing — to play on
  22. chip — to eat
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. ruler — a monarch

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