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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chip — for betting
  12. content — happy
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. content — the amount
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bark — to shout
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lie — to recline
  23. drill — army training
  24. lash — an eyelash

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