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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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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: straw · patient · foot · ruler · object · date · arm · face

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. object — to protest
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. face — to point toward
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. object — a thing
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. face — part of the head
  21. foot — a measure
  22. object — an aim
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. face — to confront

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