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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: ruler · cabinet · rule · arm · kick · pit

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pit — a hole
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rule — government
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rule — a law
  9. kick — in football
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pit — in a race
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ruler — for measuring

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