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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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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: stem · game · present · ruler · stand · object · face · squash

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. face — to point toward
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — a match
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. object — to protest
  7. stem — to come from
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. object — a thing
  13. face — to confront
  14. squash — to crush
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. face — part of the head
  20. present — a gift
  21. object — an aim
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stem — of a plant

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