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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chip — to eat
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cue — for pool
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. season — in sport
  13. chip — for betting
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. season — of the year
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cue — a hint
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spring — the season
  21. bat — the animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. mouse — for a computer

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