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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: ruler · arm · rule · wind · rock · land · roll · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. land — to come down
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rule — a law
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. land — a country
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rule — government
  20. rock — music
  21. land — ground
  22. roll — a list
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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