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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. land — ground
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — a trail
  6. chip — to eat
  7. ground — crushed
  8. key — in music
  9. ground — a position
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rock — a stone
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. key — for a lock
  17. land — a country
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. land — to come down
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. chip — for betting

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