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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: firm · arm · jam · ruler · squash · sharp · club · rush

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. squash — to crush
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. squash — the sport
  7. club — for golf
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. firm — steady
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. firm — a company
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. firm — decided
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. club — a group
  16. rush — hurry
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. club — for dancing
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. sharp — clever
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. sharp — exactly

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