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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: dip · ruler · bear · mouse · arm · court · spring · kid

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. spring — the season
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spring — of water
  10. court — of a king
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. court — of law
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. spring — a coil
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. kid — to tease
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. court — for sport
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kid — child
  23. bear — the animal
  24. arm — part of the body

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