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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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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: stem · track · ball · rest · cap · hide · ruler · arm

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rest — a break
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cap — of ice
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. track — a song
  11. cap — a hat
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. track — to keep track
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stem — to come from
  17. track — a path
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cap — a lid

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