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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: firm · trunk · mouse · snap · staff · cap · row · ruler

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. staff — employees
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — decided
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. row — to paddle
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cap — a lid
  20. snap — to click
  21. firm — steady
  22. row — a line
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. trunk — of a car

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