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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 116 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: rule · nail · stem · chip · kick · firm · drill · season

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. firm — steady
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. drill — a practice
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rule — a law
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. drill — army training
  12. season — in sport
  13. firm — decided
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. chip — to eat
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rule — government
  19. drill — the tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kick — in football
  22. season — of the year
  23. firm — a company
  24. kick — with a leg

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