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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 · ruler · jam · pound · lash · chip · land · fine

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fine — all right
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. firm — decided
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. firm — a company
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. land — a country
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. firm — steady
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. jam — in traffic

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