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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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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: mate · arm · bank · dip · bore · stick · ruler · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mate — a partner
  4. rock — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bore — to drill
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — of a river
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mate — a friend
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bank — for money
  19. mate — to breed
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bank — for money
  23. bore — to tire
  24. ruler — for measuring

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