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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 120 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: march · hide · pound · can · stem · ruler

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. march — the month
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. can — to be able to
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stem — of a plant

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