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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: ruler · rest · rule · tube · craft · jam · stem · net

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. net — after costs
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. net — for catching
  5. rest — what's left
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rule — government
  9. net — in sport
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rest — a break
  16. tube — a container
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. craft — boats
  20. tube — the underground
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. craft — a skill
  24. ruler — for measuring

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