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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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rock — music
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. kid — to tease
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. club — for dancing
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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