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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: ruler · firm · kick · straw · ball · arm · rock · suit

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. suit — clothes
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. firm — a company
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. rock — music
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. rock — a stone
  14. suit — to fit
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. firm — steady
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. firm — decided
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ball — a great time

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