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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. spring — a coil
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. chip — for betting
  13. branch — a division
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. game — wild animals
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chip — to eat
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. game — a match
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. trunk — of a tree

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