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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: sharp · dip · race · track · bore · ruler · stem · arm

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. track — a song
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bore — to tire
  5. stem — to come from
  6. race — humankind
  7. sharp — clever
  8. track — to keep track
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. dip — to sink
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bore — to drill
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — a path
  23. race — a contest
  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