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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 116 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: board · stem · mug · clip · fall · bowl · rush · bulb

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stem — to come from
  4. board — to get on
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — a video
  12. board — a committee
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. clip — to cut
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mug — a face
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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