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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: net · land · plane · ruler · chair · bear · arm · pit

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. net — after costs
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — in a race
  8. land — a country
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. land — to come down
  13. pit — a hole
  14. land — ground
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. chair — a leader
  17. plane — a tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bear — the animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. net — for catching
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. net — in sport

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