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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. object — to protest
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — ground
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — an aim
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. land — a country
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. object — a thing
  24. ruler — a monarch

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