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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: mug · rule · mark · ruler · game · present · stem · lash

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. game — a match
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. present — the time now
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mug — a cup
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mug — a face
  15. rule — a law
  16. present — a gift
  17. rule — government
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. game — wild animals
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. present — there

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