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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 120 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 · stem · stock · staff · drill · tear · board · ruler

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. tear — from crying
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stem — to come from
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. board — to get on
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. tear — to rip
  13. stock — goods
  14. drill — a practice
  15. stock — shares
  16. board — a committee
  17. tear — from crying
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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