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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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 — for betting
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. chip — to eat
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spring — of water
  7. firm — steady
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. fall — to drop
  10. firm — decided
  11. spring — a coil
  12. fall — the season
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. season — of the year
  16. sharp — clever
  17. season — in sport
  18. firm — a company
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. spring — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lean — thin
  23. chip — in a computer
  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