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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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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: patient · ground · rule · arm · spell · firm · ruler · rest

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ground — crushed
  3. firm — steady
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ground — the earth
  8. spell — magic
  9. rest — what's left
  10. firm — a company
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rest — a break
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rule — a law
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. firm — decided
  20. ground — a position
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. spell — letters
  23. rule — government
  24. rest — what's left

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