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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · squash · pass · game · ruler · arm · jam · scale

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. scale — in music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bear — the animal
  16. squash — to crush
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. game — wild animals
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bear — the animal
  21. game — a match
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. scale — size or range

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