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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bound — tied together
  3. roll — a list
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mug — a cup
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pop — to visit
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mug — a face

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