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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. mark — a grade
  15. hand — help
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. hand — in cards
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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