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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bank — for money
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chip — to eat
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bank — for money
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. can — a tin
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ball — a great time
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bank — of a river
  24. can — a tin

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