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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
468
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: pitcher · hide · race · stem · rock · lie · saw · bulb

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. race — a contest
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rock — music
  18. stem — to come from
  19. race — humankind
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rock — a stone

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