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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: toast · fine · chip · pop · snap · ruler · mate · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pop — soda
  3. fine — all right
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. toast — bread
  7. object — an aim
  8. mate — a partner
  9. object — a thing
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. snap — to click
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pop — music
  16. chip — to eat
  17. fine — high quality
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pop — to visit

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