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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: jam · lean · bat · hide · ruler · suit · arm · row

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lean — thin
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bat — the animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lean — to bend
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. row — a line
  22. row — to paddle
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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