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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: leaves · ruler · pitch · firm · stand · kid · wound · chip

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kid — to tease
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stand — to bear
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. chip — for betting
  12. kid — child
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pitch — completely
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. firm — decided
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. chip — to eat

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