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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. snap — to click
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. march — music
  8. firm — decided
  9. chip — to eat
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. march — the month
  12. prune — to trim
  13. firm — a company
  14. kid — to tease
  15. prune — to trim
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. chip — for betting
  19. kid — child
  20. pit — in a race
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. firm — steady
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. march — the month

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