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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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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: fine · ruler · arm · squash · bat · hand · nail · fall

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. squash — to crush
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bat — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fine — all right
  21. hand — help
  22. fall — the season
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. squash — the sport

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