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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 116 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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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: ruler · wound · chip · band · ball · saw · sharp · deal

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chip — to eat
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. band — a ring
  6. wound — an injury
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wound — an injury
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. band — a music group
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. chip — for betting
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. band — a rubber band

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