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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 120 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
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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: spell · drill · kid · fan · pop · arm · ruler · cabinet

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. drill — the tool
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pop — music
  8. spell — magic
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. drill — army training
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. drill — a practice
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — child
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pop — soda
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. arm — a part of something
  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