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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — there
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. last — finally
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. chip — to eat
  11. last — to go on
  12. object — a thing
  13. bark — to shout
  14. last — final
  15. object — an aim
  16. chip — for betting
  17. object — to protest
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. present — the time now
  21. bat — the animal
  22. present — a gift
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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