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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — humankind
  4. swing — music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. band — a music group
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. race — the arms race
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. swing — in golf
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. band — a ring
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. race — a contest
  24. band — a rubber band

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