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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: lash · race · stem · bat · pop · ruler

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — the arms race
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. race — humankind
  9. pop — music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pop — soda
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bat — the animal
  16. race — a contest
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. 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