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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rush — hurry
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mark — a grade
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ground — a position
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. charge — a price
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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