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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pit — in a race
  10. chip — to eat
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. chip — for betting
  16. drill — army training
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. drill — the tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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