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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: racket · arm · stick · ruler · rush · mark · stock · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rush — hurry
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stock — shares
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. stock — goods
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mark — a grade
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mark — a trace

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