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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: ruler · bowl · game · charge · plane · stem · pass · arm

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. game — wild animals
  6. stem — to come from
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. charge — in control
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. game — a match
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. plane — a tool

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