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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stock — goods
  6. present — the time now
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. saw — the tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. wake — a trail
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. present — a gift
  14. stock — shares
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ground — crushed
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ground — a position
  21. can — a tin
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — there
  24. chip — for betting

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