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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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. file — a tool
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. file — a document
  6. mine — for digging
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. file — a line of people
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. current — electric
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. current — of water
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. current — happening now
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. temple — a place of worship

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