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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: ruler · chip · board · cap · pass · foot · rest · mouse

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. board — a committee
  9. chip — to eat
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rest — a break
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cap — of ice
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cap — a hat

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