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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.

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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: plane · stick · ruler · fan · season · arm · capital · pit

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. capital — money
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. season — of the year
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ruler — for measuring

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