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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: rest · hide · trunk · mate · foot · ruler · swing · kid

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. kid — child
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — in golf
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. mate — a friend
  12. swing — music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. kid — to tease
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rest — a break
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. mate — a partner

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