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

Word bank: chip · ruler · fork · ground · bay · rest

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rest — a break
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ground — a position
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rest — what's left
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with

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