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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · lean · club · mate · chip · drill

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mate — to breed
  4. drill — the tool
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. lean — thin
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. drill — army training
  14. chip — to eat
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chip — in a computer

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