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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: roll · squash · race · charge · ruler · pound · foot · hand

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. foot — a measure
  4. hand — help
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. roll — a list
  8. pound — a weight
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. roll — a cake
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. charge — in control
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. race — humankind
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. charge — a price
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — the arms race
  22. hand — in cards
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ruler — a monarch

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