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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: net · ruler · bore · stick · race · rush · racket · stem

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. net — for catching
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. race — the arms race
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. stem — to come from
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. net — in sport
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. net — after costs
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bore — to drill
  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