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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: dip · arm · swing · ruler · rule · mouse · chair · field

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rule — a law
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. field — for sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rule — government
  10. swing — in golf
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. field — farmland
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. field — a subject
  24. swing — music

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