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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
468
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: ground · charge · content · branch · stand · ruler · arm · game

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stand — to bear
  4. game — a match
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. charge — in control
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — happy
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. ground — crushed
  15. charge — a price
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ground — a position
  18. charge — electricity
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. game — wild animals
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. branch — a division
  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