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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. pop — to visit
  6. spring — a coil
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. spring — of water
  9. mine — for digging
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pop — soda
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. game — wild animals
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. game — a match
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pop — music
  19. spring — the season
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chip — to eat
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. chip — in 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