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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: bat · foot · kick · pit · chip · stick · ruler · firm

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bat — the animal
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. firm — steady
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. firm — a company
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pit — a hole
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. firm — decided
  17. kick — in football
  18. chip — to eat
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pit — in a race
  23. chip — for betting
  24. foot — a measure

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