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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: temple · mouse · rush · stem · shower · squash · content · ruler

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. content — the amount
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rush — hurry
  9. content — happy
  10. shower — to wash
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. squash — to crush
  23. shower — rain
  24. ruler — for measuring

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