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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: rule · club · arm · rest · chair · stem · hide · leaves

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. rest — what's left
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. rest — what's left
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chair — a leader
  15. rule — government
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rest — a break
  18. club — for golf
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. club — a group
  23. stem — to come from
  24. hide — to keep secret

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