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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. season — of the year
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. stem — to come from
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. staff — employees
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rule — a law
  20. craft — boats
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bound — certain
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bound — obliged

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