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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: stem · coach · wind · bat · rush · ruler · bore · key

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bat — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wind — moving air
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bore — to drill
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wind — moving air

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