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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. object — to protest
  4. bark — to shout
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. field — farmland
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. object — an aim
  14. field — for sport
  15. chip — to eat
  16. field — a subject
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. toast — bread
  21. chip — for betting
  22. suit — to fit
  23. object — a thing
  24. bark — of a tree

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