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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 120 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mine — for digging
  8. chip — to eat
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. chip — for betting
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. lie — an untruth

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