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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: ruler · rush · arm · rash · squash · cabinet · bulb · wound

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rash — hasty
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rash — a series
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bulb — for light

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