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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 120 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: arm · club · bat · rush · ruler · mark · stick · content

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. club — for dancing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. content — happy
  9. club — for golf
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bat — the animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. content — the amount
  23. club — a group
  24. rush — hurry

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