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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: fine · lash · deal · bowl · kid · wound · chip · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — to tease
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wound — an injury
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fine — all right
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wound — an injury
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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