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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: ruler · present · chair · cabinet · hide · bowl

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. present — there
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. present — the time now
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. present — a gift

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