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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — army training
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. land — a country
  6. land — ground
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. drill — the tool
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. suit — to fit
  16. land — to come down
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. suit — in cards
  19. drill — a practice
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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