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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: bark · can · ruler · rule · hand · suit · nail · chip

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. can — to be able to
  4. chip — to eat
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. can — a tin
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rule — government
  12. hand — help
  13. rule — a law
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chip — for betting
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bark — to shout
  24. suit — in cards

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