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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. field — for sport
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. spell — a short time
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. row — to paddle
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spell — magic
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. spell — letters
  16. chip — to eat
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. row — a line
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. arm — part of the body

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