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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: bear · ruler · stem · charge · stick · race · swing · arm

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. charge — in control
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. swing — in golf
  6. charge — a price
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. charge — electricity
  11. swing — to play on
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stem — to come from
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bear — the animal
  17. race — humankind
  18. bear — the animal
  19. race — a contest
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. swing — music
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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