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

Word bank: ruler · stem · race · bank · pitcher · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bank — for money
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bank — of a river
  17. race — a contest
  18. bank — for money

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