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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: foot · arm · rule · stick · fan · firm · ball · bear

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. foot — a measure
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. firm — a company
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rule — government
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rule — a law
  13. firm — steady
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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