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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. ball — a great time
  7. march — the month
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ball — a dance
  11. file — a line of people
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. file — a document
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. file — a tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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