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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: plane · arm · object · rest · roll · game · ruler · rash

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rest — a break
  3. rash — hasty
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — an aim
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. game — a match
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. roll — a list
  13. object — a thing
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rest — what's left
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. game — wild animals
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. roll — a cake

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