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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: fork · kid · chip · hide · ruler · bear

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kid — child
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. kid — to tease
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. chip — for betting
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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