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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · temple · stem · track · content · ruler · fan · squash

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. file — a tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. squash — to crush
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. squash — the sport
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. file — a line of people
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. content — the amount
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. track — a path
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. file — a document
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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