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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: craft · scale · temple · chip · rule · kick · firm · lean

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. firm — steady
  3. rule — government
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. lean — to bend
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rule — a law
  10. firm — decided
  11. scale — in music
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. craft — a skill
  17. firm — a company
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chip — for betting
  20. craft — boats
  21. scale — size or range
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rule — to rule out

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