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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: hide · cabinet · nail · stem · pop · ruler · arm · rule

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pop — soda
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pop — music
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rule — government
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rule — a law
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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