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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ball — a dance
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. saw — the tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chip — to eat
  17. hand — help
  18. saw — the tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hand — in cards
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mark — a trace
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mark — a grade

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