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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cell — a phone
  14. perch — the fish
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. cell — in biology
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. kick — in football
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. branch — a division
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cell — in a prison

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