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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: mark · face · firm · key · stem · straw · ruler · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mark — a grade
  3. key — in music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. key — for a lock
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mark — a trace
  10. firm — decided
  11. stem — to come from
  12. firm — steady
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. firm — a company
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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