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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · stock · face · can · bound · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bound — tied together
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. can — a tin
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bound — certain
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — a phone
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — goods
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stock — shares
  18. face — to confront

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