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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: swing · content · field · arm · ruler · dip · foot · suit

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. content — happy
  5. suit — in cards
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — for sport
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. swing — in golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. swing — music
  18. suit — clothes
  19. swing — to play on
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. field — a subject
  22. suit — to fit
  23. foot — a measure
  24. dip — to sink

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