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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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. tube — a container
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. file — a line of people
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. tube — the underground
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. cell — in biology
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. roll — a list
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cell — a phone
  23. file — a tool
  24. file — a document

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