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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: pop · nail · stem · bulb · bear · racket · fall · shower

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. fall — the season
  13. bulb — for light
  14. shower — to wash
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. shower — rain
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pop — soda
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bear — the animal

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