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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · hand · charge · arm · saw · ruler

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. charge — in control
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — a price
  11. saw — the tool
  12. hand — help
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. charge — electricity
  15. saw — the tool
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ruler — a monarch

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