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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: ruler · kick · deal · nail · scale · ground · march · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ground — a position
  3. kick — in football
  4. march — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — to handle
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. scale — in music
  9. ground — crushed
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rush — hurry
  12. scale — size or range
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. march — the month
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. march — the month
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. ground — the earth

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