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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: spell · field · fine · snap · ruler · cap · jam · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. field — farmland
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fine — high quality
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — for sport
  9. fine — all right
  10. spell — a short time
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cap — of ice
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. cap — a lid
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cap — a hat
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. spell — letters
  21. snap — to click
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. spell — magic
  24. fine — a penalty

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