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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. mate — a partner
  3. chair — a leader
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mate — to breed
  8. lean — thin
  9. chip — for betting
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ground — the earth
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. ground — a position
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. chair — to sit on
  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