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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: stem · ruler · bulb · calf · current · game · prune · bowl

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. game — a match
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. prune — to trim
  10. game — wild animals
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. game — a kind of play

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