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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: toast · fork · hand · ruler · foot · scale · chest · suit

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fork — in a road
  3. suit — to fit
  4. toast — bread
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. hand — help
  7. chest — of your body
  8. suit — clothes
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. hand — in cards
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. chest — of your body
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chest — a box
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. scale — for weighing

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