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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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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: stem · lean · pop · plane · fall · drill · bore · rush

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. fall — the season
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pop — to visit
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pop — music
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lean — to bend
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. drill — army training
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. lean — thin
  24. pop — soda

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