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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. swing — in golf
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. object — to protest
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. object — an aim
  20. hand — in cards
  21. object — a thing
  22. swing — to play on
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. swing — music

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