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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ground — a position
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rule — government
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pitch — completely
  15. ground — the earth
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rule — a law
  18. ground — crushed
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wound — an injury

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