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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 116 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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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: rest · ruler · last · pound · stem · bay

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rest — a break
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rest — what's left
  14. last — final
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. pound — for dogs

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