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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. staff — a stick
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rash — hasty
  5. track — a song
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. staff — employees
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wind — moving air
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. track — a path
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. perch — the fish
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chip — to eat
  22. staff — employees
  23. rash — a series
  24. chip — for betting

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