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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: mouse · rest · stem · ruler · clip · race · branch · swing

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stem — to come from
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rest — a break
  10. race — the arms race
  11. swing — music
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — a video
  17. race — a contest
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. race — humankind
  21. clip — for paper
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. branch — of a bank

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