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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
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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: ruler · bay · stem · date · pop · suit · clip · mine

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mine — for digging
  3. clip — to cut
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pop — to visit
  7. stem — to come from
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. clip — for paper
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. suit — clothes
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. clip — a video
  23. pop — soda
  24. bay — a horse colour

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