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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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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: track · chip · rush · ruler · hand · arm · bulb · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. track — a path
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. track — to keep track
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. track — a song
  24. hand — in cards

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