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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stem · pitcher · race · tube · row · coach · temple · track

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. track — a path
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. row — to paddle
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. race — a contest
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. track — a song
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. tube — a container
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stem — to come from
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — the arms race

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