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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 · arm · pitcher · ruler · nail · wind · fan · sharp

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. chip — for betting
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. nail — on a finger

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