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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. band — a ring
  6. fine — all right
  7. rest — a break
  8. band — a music group
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. charge — a price
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chip — to eat
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. bear — to put up with

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