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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 120 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: rush · dip · kick · bowl · arm · present · stem · row

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. row — to paddle
  5. present — a gift
  6. kick — in football
  7. stem — to come from
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. present — there
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. rush — hurry
  18. present — the time now
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. row — a line

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