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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. spring — of water
  9. band — a music group
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. spring — the season
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. spring — a coil
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bound — tied together

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