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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. court — for sport
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — for betting
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pound — a weight
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. plane — a tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. race — humankind
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. saw — the tool

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