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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. field — a subject
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mate — to breed
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. scale — in music
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. field — for sport
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. snap — to click
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mate — a friend
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mate — a partner
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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