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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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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 · pound · trunk · press · nail · stem

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. press — newspapers
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. press — to push
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. pound — a weight
  10. stem — to come from
  11. press — a publisher
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. pound — to hit hard

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