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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rock — a stone
  5. roll — a list
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rock — music
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. can — to be able to
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. net — in sport
  14. can — a tin
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. date — the fruit
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. can — a tin

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