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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: pit · ruler · race · lie · trunk · object · ground · arm

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. race — humankind
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ground — a position
  8. race — a contest
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. object — an aim
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. object — a thing
  19. race — the arms race
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — to protest
  22. pit — in a race
  23. ground — crushed
  24. trunk — of a car

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