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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. chip — for betting
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pound — a weight
  8. wind — moving air
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. root — the cause
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. chip — to eat
  15. root — of a word
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fork — a garden tool

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