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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: ruler · cell · band · kick · stem · rock

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. band — a ring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. rock — music
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. kick — in football
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. band — a music group
  13. rock — a stone
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — a phone

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