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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: fall · pound · bay · mark · stem · ruler

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pound — a weight
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fall — the season
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. 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