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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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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: kick · ruler · bear · dip · wax · stem

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. 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. dip — to dunk
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. dip — to sink
  10. kick — in football
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. wax — to grow
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. 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