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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: stem · hide · calf · branch · rest · ruler · fine · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. fine — all right
  4. cap — of ice
  5. branch — a division
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. fine — high quality
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rest — a break
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rest — what's left
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rest — what's left

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