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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. ball — a dance
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mark — a grade
  10. hand — help
  11. rest — a break
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rest — what's left
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. hand — in cards
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mark — a trace

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