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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: race · stem · foot · branch · ruler · coach · bat · bound

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bound — tied together
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bound — certain
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. branch — a division
  18. stem — to come from
  19. race — a contest
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bound — obliged

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