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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: arm · leaves · shower · present · scale · fan · ruler · roll

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. scale — in music
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. shower — to wash
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. present — there
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. present — a gift
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. roll — a cake
  20. present — the time now
  21. shower — rain
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. roll — a list
  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