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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ruler · ground · chair · saw · club · pitcher · trunk · object

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a leader
  5. ground — a position
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. club — a group
  10. ground — the earth
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. club — for golf
  15. object — a thing
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. object — to protest
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. club — for dancing
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. object — an aim

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