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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 116 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: kid · ground · chair · lean · suit · chip · spell · ruler

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. spell — letters
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. chip — for betting
  6. kid — child
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kid — to tease
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — thin
  14. ground — crushed
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. spell — magic
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — a position
  24. chip — to eat

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