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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: squash · wave · key · spring · stem · rest · roll · ruler

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. squash — to crush
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. roll — a cake
  13. spring — the season
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. spring — a coil
  18. rest — a break
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rest — what's left
  21. spring — of water
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. roll — a list
  24. squash — the sport

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