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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. stem — a stem cell
  3. firm — decided
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rash — hasty
  6. drill — the tool
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. firm — steady
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bound — certain
  12. snap — to click
  13. drill — army training
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. firm — a company
  17. rash — a series
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stem — to come from
  23. coach — a trainer
  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