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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 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rest — what's left
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bank — of a river
  6. race — the arms race
  7. club — a group
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. race — humankind
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. club — for golf
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. race — a contest
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stem — to come from

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