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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: root · cue · hide · stem · press · cap · ruler · clip

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cap — a hat
  3. press — a publisher
  4. clip — to cut
  5. cap — of ice
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. press — to push
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. clip — for paper
  14. root — of a plant
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stem — to come from
  18. root — of a word
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. press — newspapers
  21. clip — a video
  22. root — the cause
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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