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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — thin
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. firm — steady
  10. chip — for betting
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. firm — decided
  13. chip — to eat
  14. kid — to tease
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fine — all right
  23. firm — a company
  24. saw — the tool

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