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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. track — a path
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. track — to keep track
  8. spell — magic
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. object — a thing
  11. field — for sport
  12. object — to protest
  13. field — farmland
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. field — a subject
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. object — an aim
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. track — a song
  21. spell — letters
  22. saw — the tool
  23. arm — a part of something
  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