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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: lean · stem · staff · row · wound · mug · leaves · spell

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. staff — employees
  4. spell — a short time
  5. staff — employees
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. row — a line
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. mug — to rob
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. spell — magic
  17. mug — a face
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wound — an injury
  20. lean — thin
  21. wound — an injury
  22. staff — a stick
  23. spell — letters
  24. mug — a cup

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