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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.

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: lie · net · wave · file · ruler · wound · stem · fan

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. file — a document
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. net — for catching
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. file — a tool
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. net — after costs
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. file — a line of people
  24. stem — a stem cell

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