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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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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: dip · ruler · stand · land · present · cabinet · drill · arm

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — a country
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. land — ground
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. drill — a practice
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. dip — to sink
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. land — to come down
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — the time now
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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