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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · arm · present · roll · cap · bore · sharp · plane

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. rule — government
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cap — a lid
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. roll — a cake
  12. cap — a hat
  13. roll — a list
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bore — to drill
  18. present — the time now
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rule — a law
  22. present — there
  23. plane — a tool
  24. present — a gift

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