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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: ruler · rest · arm · row · bat · ground · current · rush

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. current — electric
  6. rest — what's left
  7. row — a line
  8. current — of water
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. rest — a break
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — the animal
  21. ground — a position
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. row — to paddle
  24. current — happening now

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