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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: drill · pitch · bulb · ground · rule · foot · arm · kick

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rule — a law
  6. bulb — for light
  7. kick — in football
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. drill — army training
  14. rule — government
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ground — the earth
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pitch — completely
  20. ground — crushed
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ground — a position

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