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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: stick · scale · arm · wound · foot · ruler · current · bear

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wound — an injury
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. scale — size or range
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. current — happening now
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. current — electric
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. current — of water
  17. wound — an injury
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. scale — in music
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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