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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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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: game · ruler · race · wave · lie · chip · fan · calf

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. game — a match
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. race — a contest
  11. lie — to recline
  12. race — the arms race
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. race — humankind
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. game — wild animals
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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