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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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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: ruler · wake · suit · last · stock · squash · stem · lean

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. squash — to crush
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. last — final
  5. stem — to come from
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. last — finally
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. squash — the sport
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. last — to go on
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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