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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: row · track · rush · arm · stem · tube · ruler · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. tube — a container
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stem — to come from
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. track — a path
  11. lean — thin
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. row — to paddle
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rush — hurry
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. row — a line
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. row — a quarrel

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