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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 116 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 all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bark — to shout
  22. chip — for betting
  23. drill — army training
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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