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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cold — not warm
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. staff — employees
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stand — to bear
  15. staff — employees
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cold — an illness
  23. chip — to eat
  24. fall — the season

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