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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stem — to come from
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. firm — decided
  12. bank — for money
  13. firm — steady
  14. bank — for money
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. race — humankind
  17. firm — a company
  18. chair — a leader
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. race — a contest
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. race — the arms race

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