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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: arm · game · hand · bass · ruler · kick · plane · spring

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bass — the fish
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. spring — of water
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. spring — the season
  12. hand — in cards
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bass — low music
  17. spring — a coil
  18. game — a match
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. kick — in football

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