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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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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: bowl · ruler · tube · lean · arm · plane · pop · stem

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. tube — a container
  13. lean — thin
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — to come from
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. tube — the underground
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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