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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 116 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: stem · stand · rest · bore · nail · rush · tear · bulb

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — to drill
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rest — a break
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rest — what's left
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. nail — for a hammer

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