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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — a company
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. hand — help
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. firm — steady
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bulb — for light

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