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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. net — for catching
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. current — of water
  8. net — in sport
  9. chip — to eat
  10. staff — employees
  11. current — happening now
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. current — electric
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. staff — employees
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. net — after costs
  20. staff — a stick
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bat — the animal
  24. racket — a loud noise

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