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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: ruler · kid · scale · dip · deal · saw · arm · nail

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. dip — to sink
  4. kid — to tease
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. scale — in music
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. kid — child
  17. saw — the tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. saw — the tool
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. deal — to handle
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. arm — part of the body

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