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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. file — a document
  6. rest — a break
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. file — a tool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bark — to shout
  13. scale — size or range
  14. toast — bread
  15. rest — what's left
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. scale — in music
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rest — what's left

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