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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: field · bore · ruler · stem · bank · nail · file · rock

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. field — for sport
  3. file — a tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. field — a subject
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rock — music
  9. file — a document
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. field — farmland
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rock — a stone
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stem — a stem cell

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