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

Word bank: arm · ruler · suit · swing · wind · present

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. suit — in cards
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. swing — to play on
  5. present — a gift
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wind — moving air
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. wind — moving air
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. swing — music
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. swing — in golf
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. suit — clothes

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