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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 116 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: ball · hide · can · kid · mouse · board · stem · ruler

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. kid — to tease
  4. can — to be able to
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. stem — to come from
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. board — a committee
  10. kid — child
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. board — to get on
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mouse — the 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