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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. swing — to play on
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. face — to point toward
  10. swing — music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — temperature
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cell — in biology
  17. degree — from a university
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cell — a phone
  20. swing — in golf
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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