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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: bat · mark · stick · bowl · rash · calf · chip · ruler

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bat — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rash — a series
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. chip — for betting
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mark — a grade
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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