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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. fall — the season
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wound — an injury
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wake — a trail
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fall — to drop
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. deal — to handle
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — before a funeral

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