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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. march — the month
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rest — a break
  15. march — music
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. chip — for betting
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rest — what's left
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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