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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
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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 · drill · nail · ball · prune · suit · can · rush

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — hurry
  4. can — to be able to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. drill — army training
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. prune — to trim
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. prune — to trim
  18. suit — clothes
  19. can — a tin
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stem — to come from
  23. suit — in cards
  24. drill — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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