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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: ruler · hand · pit · ball · saw · present · fork · fan

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. present — there
  12. hand — help
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. present — a gift
  17. pit — in a race
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — the time now
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pit — a hole

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