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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: wave · kid · board · arm · saw · root · ruler · date

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. kid — child
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — a committee
  6. root — of a plant
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. saw — the tool
  10. root — the cause
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. root — of a word
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. kid — to tease
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. saw — the tool
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. ruler — a monarch

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