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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: perch · rule · straw · stem · press · net · rush · nail

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. net — in sport
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. rush — hurry
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — government
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — to push
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. perch — for a bird

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