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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: rule · mouse · dip · stock · arm · squash · ground · mark

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. squash — to crush
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mark — a grade
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rule — a law
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. ground — crushed
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rule — government
  19. stock — shares
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. stock — goods
  22. squash — the sport
  23. ground — the earth
  24. arm — part of the body

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