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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 · rest · wake · ruler · kick · current · arm · branch

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. current — electric
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ground — a position
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rest — what's left
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. current — happening now
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. wake — a trail
  21. branch — a division
  22. rest — a break
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. current — of water

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