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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 · foot · ruler · roll · file · branch · drill · lean

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ground — crushed
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. file — a document
  9. ground — a position
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. file — a tool
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lean — thin
  15. branch — a division
  16. lean — to bend
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. roll — a list
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — army training

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