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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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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: wave · suit · fan · hand · stem · hide · pound · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — to fit
  5. hand — help
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stem — to come from
  24. hide — animal skin

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