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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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Word bank
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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: firm · tear · bound · chip · hand · ruler · wave · perch

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tear — to rip
  3. chip — for betting
  4. hand — in cards
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. hand — help
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. firm — steady
  14. bound — tied together
  15. chip — to eat
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. firm — a company
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. firm — decided

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