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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · hand · cap · fan · ruler · sharp · leaves · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rest — a break
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. rest — what's left
  7. hand — in cards
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. sharp — clever
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. hand — help
  16. cap — a hat
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cap — of ice

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