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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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Word bank
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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: season · ruler · tear · spell · chip · cue · squash · wound

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cue — a hint
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. squash — the sport
  7. season — in sport
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spell — a short time
  11. wound — an injury
  12. tear — to rip
  13. chip — to eat
  14. spell — letters
  15. tear — from crying
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. chip — for betting
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. season — of the year
  22. spell — magic
  23. cue — for pool
  24. wound — an injury

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