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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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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: kid · chest · stand · ruler · arm · bear · fine · roll

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chest — of your body
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. kid — to tease
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bear — the animal
  13. roll — a list
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chest — a box
  18. fine — all right
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fine — high quality

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