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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: rush · lean · row · wake · stem · bank · scale · bulb

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. scale — in music
  4. bank — for money
  5. wake — a trail
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lean — thin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. lean — to bend

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