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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cue — for pool
  9. clip — for paper
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. spell — letters
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cue — a hint
  16. clip — to cut
  17. object — an aim
  18. spell — magic
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. clip — a video
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. object — a thing

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