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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: ruler · face · land · chip · wave · bore · mouse · bulb

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. face — part of the head
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chip — for betting
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. land — ground
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. land — a country
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bore — to tire
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. face — to confront
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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