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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. capital — a city
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ball — a dance
  14. chip — for betting
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ball — a great time
  20. tube — the underground
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. capital — money
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ruler — for measuring

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