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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: rush · ruler · nail · bowl · chip · fan · rest · dip

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rest — a break
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rush — hurry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chip — for betting
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. dip — to sink
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bowl — a football final

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