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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: firm · chip · racket · ruler · straw · drill

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. firm — steady
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. firm — decided
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. firm — a company
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. drill — a practice
  18. chip — for betting

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