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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pop — to visit
  8. spring — of water
  9. chip — for betting
  10. scale — size or range
  11. object — a thing
  12. kid — to tease
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. kid — child
  17. spring — a coil
  18. object — to protest
  19. pop — soda
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. scale — in music
  22. object — an aim
  23. pop — music
  24. spring — the season

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