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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. drill — the tool
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fine — all right
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. hand — help
  13. chip — for betting
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. hand — in cards
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. drill — army training
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. present — the time now
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chip — to eat

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