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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: stem · tear · ruler · nail · fork · leaves

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. tear — from crying
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. tear — from crying
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. tear — to rip
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fork — in a road
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stem — a stem cell

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