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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: cabinet · roll · wave · stand · stick · nail · chip · ruler

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chip — to eat
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. roll — a list
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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