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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: cabinet · ruler · ground · kick · chip · craft

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. chip — to eat
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ground — a position
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. ground — the earth
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. craft — boats
  17. ruler — for measuring
  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