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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: perch · firm · stem · rule · arm · ruler

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. firm — steady
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. rule — government
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. perch — the fish
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rule — a law

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