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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wind — moving air
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pop — music
  9. chair — a leader
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wind — moving air
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. season — of the year
  20. branch — a division
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. season — in sport

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