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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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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: arm · leaves · wound · ruler · rule · stem · craft · bulb

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stem — to come from
  10. craft — boats
  11. rule — government
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rule — a law
  17. wound — an injury
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bulb — for light
  24. leaves — of a tree

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