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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: cabinet · pop · wave · stem · nail · row · ruler · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. sharp — clever
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. row — a line
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pop — soda
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. row — to paddle
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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