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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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. file — a tool
  4. rule — government
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. file — a line of people
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. kick — in football
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. craft — boats
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kid — child
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. file — a document
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. arm — part of the body

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