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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: saw · stick · ruler · kick · dip · rest · chip · calf

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. saw — the tool
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rest — what's left
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — in football
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. dip — to sink
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — for betting
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. chip — to eat
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ruler — a monarch

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