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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · stem · lie · bulb · lean · fan · tube · pitcher

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. tube — a container
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitcher — a jug

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