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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fall — to drop
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mark — a trace
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. nail — on a finger

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