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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: pitcher · nail · chip · stick · cold · ruler · bark · deal

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cold — an illness
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cold — not warm
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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