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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 120 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: tube · mouse · ruler · pit · arm · wound · coach · game

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. game — a match
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. game — wild animals
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wound — an injury

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