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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: ruler · kick · firm · chip · hand · foot · pound · cap

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. cap — a hat
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. firm — steady
  6. cap — a lid
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. cap — of ice
  10. chip — for betting
  11. hand — in cards
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. firm — decided
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. kick — in football
  19. firm — a company
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. foot — a measure
  23. hand — help
  24. kick — with a leg

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