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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. firm — steady
  3. mate — a partner
  4. chip — to eat
  5. firm — decided
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cell — in biology
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. firm — a company

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