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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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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: ruler · fine · season · kid · chair · lean · ball · cabinet

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kid — child
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — in sport
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. kid — to tease
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. lean — thin
  14. fine — all right
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. chair — a leader
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. chair — to sit on

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