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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: swing · rash · ruler · capital · mouse · stem · lie · chip

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — to eat
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. chip — for betting
  6. swing — in golf
  7. capital — money
  8. swing — music
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. capital — a city
  13. rash — a series
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rash — hasty
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stem — a stem cell

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