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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chip — to eat
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stock — shares
  5. drill — the tool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. drill — a practice
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. drill — army training
  11. chip — for betting
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. date — the fruit
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. game — a match
  22. stock — goods
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. nail — for a hammer

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