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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. race — the arms race
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. band — a ring
  9. bound — obliged
  10. roll — a list
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rock — music
  13. band — a music group
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. race — a contest
  17. fine — high quality
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fine — all right
  20. race — humankind
  21. roll — a cake
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. perch — the fish

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