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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: nail · ruler · cabinet · cue · straw · chip · pass · trunk

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — for pool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pass — a permit
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cue — a signal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pass — to spend time
  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