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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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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: ground · squash · rule · stick · ruler · stem · land · object

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. object — to protest
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rule — government
  5. squash — to crush
  6. land — a country
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. land — to come down
  14. object — a thing
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. object — an aim
  18. rule — a law
  19. land — ground
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ground — a position
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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