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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: bowl · scale · hand · ruler · club · fork · dip · kid

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. kid — child
  4. club — a group
  5. fork — in a road
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kid — to tease
  8. scale — in music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. hand — help
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. club — for golf
  16. scale — size or range
  17. dip — to sink
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. dip — to dunk

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