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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
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: arm · fine · fall · march · track · foot · ball · ruler

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. fine — high quality
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. march — the month
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ball — a dance
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. foot — a measure
  20. fall — the season
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. track — to keep track

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