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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: rock · calf · stem · tube · hide · firm · rule · pound

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. firm — a company
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rule — government
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. firm — decided
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. tube — the underground
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stem — to come from
  18. firm — steady
  19. tube — a container
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rule — a law
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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