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

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. plane — a tool
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mug — a face
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mug — to rob
  19. lean — to bend
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. craft — boats
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. lean — thin
  24. mouse — the animal

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