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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: rest · ruler · chip · firm · bay · rule · bat · roll

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. firm — decided
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. rule — a law
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rule — government
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bat — the animal
  23. chip — to eat
  24. roll — a list

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