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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: chip · ruler · roll · wind · present · cap · pitch · leaves

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — a gift
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. present — there
  7. cap — of ice
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. roll — a list
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. roll — a cake
  16. cap — a hat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. present — the time now
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chip — for betting
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pitch — completely

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