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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. object — to protest
  8. mine — for digging
  9. object — an aim
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. object — a thing
  23. chip — to eat
  24. branch — a division

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