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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. current — happening now
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. degree — an amount
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. degree — from a university
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. current — of water
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wax — to grow
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. degree — temperature
  22. suit — in cards
  23. current — electric
  24. suit — clothes

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