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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: fine · arm · swing · saw · race · present · drill · ruler

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — humankind
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. race — the arms race
  7. drill — a practice
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. present — the time now
  13. race — a contest
  14. drill — the tool
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. saw — the tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. saw — the tool
  19. present — a gift
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — in golf
  24. present — there

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