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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: press · lash · ruler · fork · game · bowl · cell · stem

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cell — a phone
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. game — a match
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. press — newspapers
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lash — an eyelash

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