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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — temperature
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rush — hurry
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ball — a great time
  14. club — for dancing
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. degree — an amount
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rush — a thrill

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