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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: staff · tube · ground · object · court · fan · ruler · arm

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. object — a thing
  3. staff — employees
  4. tube — the underground
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. court — for sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. court — of a king
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. court — of law
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. tube — a container
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. staff — a stick

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