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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: ruler · last · mark · net · leaves · stem · pit · face

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. net — in sport
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pit — in a race
  6. last — final
  7. stem — to come from
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. last — finally
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. face — to point toward
  16. net — for catching
  17. pit — a hole
  18. net — after costs
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. last — to go on
  24. face — to confront

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