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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 116 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cell — a phone
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lean — thin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bound — certain
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. wave — with your hand

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