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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mark — a trace
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. saw — the tool
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. squash — the sport
  12. track — a song
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. chip — to eat
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wound — an injury
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — government
  23. squash — to crush
  24. ruler — for measuring

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