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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 120 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: mark · charge · field · arm · ruler · rock · ground · drill

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ground — a position
  3. field — farmland
  4. charge — a price
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. drill — the tool
  13. charge — electricity
  14. field — a subject
  15. ground — crushed
  16. charge — in control
  17. rock — music
  18. drill — army training
  19. ground — the earth
  20. field — for sport
  21. rock — a stone
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. drill — a practice

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