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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: land · ruler · fan · arm · straw · cue · ground · suit

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. suit — in cards
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. suit — clothes
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. land — ground
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. ground — a position
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cue — a signal

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