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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: sharp · current · ruler · lean · pop · arm · foot · ground

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. current — happening now
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pop — to visit
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ground — crushed
  17. lean — thin
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. current — electric
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — the earth
  23. current — of water
  24. arm — part of the body

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