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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: shower · deal · chip · present · nail · ruler

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. present — a gift
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. deal — to handle
  13. shower — to wash
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. shower — rain
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat

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