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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: ruler · charge · spell · pop · straw · kid · chip · calf

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pop — to visit
  3. kid — child
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pop — music
  6. chip — to eat
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. spell — magic
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. charge — in control
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pop — soda

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