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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ground · rule · ruler · row · arm · press · mug · pop

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ground — the earth
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rule — a law
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. row — to paddle
  10. press — newspapers
  11. mug — a face
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. press — a publisher
  14. ground — a position
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rule — government
  17. pop — music
  18. mug — a cup
  19. press — to push
  20. pop — soda
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. row — a line
  24. rule — to rule out

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