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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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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: roll · rule · ball · arm · drill · plane · fan · firm

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ball — a great time
  6. firm — a company
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. firm — decided
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rule — government
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. roll — a cake
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. roll — a list
  19. firm — steady
  20. drill — army training
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. plane — in geometry

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