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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: chip · ground · ruler · cue · nail · craft · arm · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ground — a position
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ground — the earth
  9. cue — a signal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. craft — boats
  17. chip — to eat
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cue — a hint
  21. chip — for betting
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ground — crushed
  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