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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: bat · saw · stand · sharp · foot · bank · fan · ruler

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bank — for money
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bank — for money
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. sharp — clever
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bank — of a river
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stand — to bear
  20. saw — the tool
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bat — the animal

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