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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: ruler · bowl · stick · racket · cabinet · arm

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — for tennis

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