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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: drill · deal · bound · chip · calf · kid · face · ruler

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bound — obliged
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. face — part of the head
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. drill — army training
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. drill — the tool
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bound — certain
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bound — tied together
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — to point toward
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. chip — to eat
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. drill — a practice

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