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

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tear — to rip
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. tear — from crying
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tear — from crying
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — a container
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. safe — a strongbox

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