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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 120 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: pit · fall · root · ruler · stem · rock · bowl · lash

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rock — music
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fall — the season
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. fall — to drop
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — of a word
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rock — to move gently

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