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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: root · lean · stem · stand · wake · ruler · net · straw

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. net — for catching
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. net — in sport
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. net — after costs
  17. lean — to bend
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stand — to bear
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lean — thin
  24. wake — a trail

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