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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — a law
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. shower — rain
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rock — a stone
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. capital — money
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bank — for money
  20. capital — a city
  21. rule — government
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. fan — a supporter

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