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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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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: pass · nail · stem · cabinet · ruler · mate · calf · straw

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stem — to come from
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mate — a friend
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mate — to breed
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pass — a permit
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mate — a partner
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. straw — a straw man

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