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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: ruler · nail · game · band · rest · deal · cabinet · chip

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. game — wild animals
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. band — a music group
  11. chip — to eat
  12. game — a match
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rest — what's left
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. band — a ring
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rest — a break
  24. ruler — for measuring

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