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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: ruler · mug · court · drill · stock · charge · arm · trunk

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. court — for sport
  3. mug — a face
  4. court — of law
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. court — of a king
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. drill — the tool
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — shares
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mug — a cup
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. charge — in control
  15. mug — to rob
  16. drill — army training
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. drill — a practice
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — goods
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. ruler — a monarch

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