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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. scale — in music
  4. net — after costs
  5. swing — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chip — to eat
  8. net — in sport
  9. swing — in golf
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mark — a trace
  12. object — to protest
  13. rule — government
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rule — a law
  19. swing — to play on
  20. scale — size or range
  21. object — a thing
  22. net — for catching
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rule — to rule out

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