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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: straw · object · chip · fork · mouse · wave · ruler · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. object — to protest
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. object — a thing
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fork — in a road
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. object — an aim
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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