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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: mark · fine · chip · foot · ruler · wind

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wind — moving air
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fine — high quality
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mark — a grade
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — part of the body

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