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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: stem · hide · lean · fan · bulb · row · ruler · cell

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stem — to come from
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cell — in biology
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. row — to paddle
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. lean — thin
  16. row — a line
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — to bend
  24. cell — in a prison

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