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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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Word bank
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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: bore · stem · ruler · jam · pitcher · stock · staff · tube

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — a container
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stock — goods
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stem — to come from
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bore — to drill
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stock — shares
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. stem — a stem cell

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