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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: arm · ruler · ball · object · tear · craft

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. object — to protest
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. ball — a dance
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. object — a thing
  11. craft — boats
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. object — an aim
  18. tear — from crying

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