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

Word bank: race · field · stem · ruler · ball · pound

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. field — for sport
  3. stem — to come from
  4. race — the arms race
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. field — farmland
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. race — a contest
  11. ball — a dance
  12. field — a subject
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ball — a great time
  18. race — humankind

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