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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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Word bank
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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: straw · charge · drill · ruler · last · mark · arm · pitch

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. charge — in control
  6. mark — a grade
  7. charge — a price
  8. last — final
  9. mark — a trace
  10. charge — electricity
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. last — finally
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. last — to go on
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. drill — army training
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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