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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: arm · ruler · deal · suit · pound · capital

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pound — a weight
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. deal — to handle
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. suit — in cards
  14. capital — a city
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — to fit
  18. capital — money

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