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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. field — farmland
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bank — for money
  13. field — for sport
  14. swing — in golf
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. swing — to play on
  17. stem — to come from
  18. field — a subject
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. swing — music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to sink

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