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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: firm · rule · tube · content · nail · pit · chip · straw

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. chip — to eat
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. content — happy
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pit — a hole
  13. content — the amount
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rule — a law
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. firm — decided
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. firm — steady
  23. rule — government
  24. firm — a company

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