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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: ground · ruler · spell · cold · foot · arm · fine · club

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. spell — letters
  4. fine — all right
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cold — an illness
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. club — a group
  9. spell — magic
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. spell — a short time
  14. club — for dancing
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ground — a position
  17. cold — not warm
  18. club — for golf
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — the earth
  22. foot — a measure
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. arm — a part of something

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