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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. can — a tin
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bark — to shout
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. game — a match
  19. bulb — for light
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. season — to add flavour

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