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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lean · saw · scale · ruler · fan · court · bulb · arm

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. court — of a king
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. court — of law
  14. lean — thin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — for sport
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — to bend
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bulb — for light
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bulb — of a plant

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