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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spring — of water
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spring — the season
  10. band — a music group
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. foot — a measure
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. spring — a coil
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. band — a ring
  24. kick — in football

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