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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 120 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 · straw · ruler · nail · safe · tube · pound · pitch

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pitch — completely
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. tube — the underground
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tube — a container
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pitch — a sports field

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