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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · race · bowl · wound · stem · ruler

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. 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 — a stem cell
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. file — a tool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. race — humankind
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. race — a contest
  15. wound — an injury
  16. file — a document
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. 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