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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: row · clip · ruler · calf · stock · temple · press · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stock — goods
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stock — shares
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. press — a publisher
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. press — newspapers
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. clip — to cut
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. clip — a video
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. row — a line
  23. clip — for paper
  24. press — to push

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