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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 · mark · mouse · ruler · spring · chest · shower · stick

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. 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. ruler — a monarch
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mark — a trace
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spring — of water
  14. chest — a box
  15. spring — the season
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spring — a coil
  18. shower — rain
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. shower — to wash
  24. 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