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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: ruler · wake · stem · bear · roll · march · cue · bowl

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. march — music
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. cue — a signal
  15. roll — a list
  16. march — the month
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cue — for pool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. roll — a cake
  24. march — the month

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