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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 116 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rock — a stone
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. sharp — clever
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. scale — in music
  13. band — a music group
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rock — music
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. band — a ring
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. chip — to eat
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. row — to paddle

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