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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.

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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: foot · ruler · kid · arm · plane · march · race · face

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. plane — a tool
  5. march — the month
  6. race — the arms race
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. face — part of the head
  9. kid — to tease
  10. face — to point toward
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. face — to confront
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. race — a contest
  22. march — music
  23. race — humankind
  24. kid — child

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