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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: cell · ruler · trunk · rush · sharp · arm · file · toast

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. file — a line of people
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. cell — in biology
  10. file — a tool
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. file — a document
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cell — a phone
  21. toast — bread
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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