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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: ground · swing · ruler · arm · cell · squash

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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. squash — to crush
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. swing — to play on
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. squash — the sport
  11. swing — in golf
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. swing — music
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — in biology
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cell — a phone
  18. ground — a position

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