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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: nail · racket · ruler · perch · cold · chip · cabinet · deal

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. chip — to eat
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — the fish
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cold — an illness
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — for betting
  17. deal — to handle
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cold — not warm
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. racket — a loud noise

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