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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 · prune · rule · chip · charge · march · arm

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ground — a position
  5. prune — to trim
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. charge — in control
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rest — a break
  12. charge — electricity
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rule — government
  15. ground — the earth
  16. march — music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. march — the month
  19. charge — a price
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rule — a law
  22. march — the month
  23. ground — crushed
  24. chip — for betting

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