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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: bound · stick · stem · mark · cell · race

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. 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. cell — in a prison
  2. stem — to come from
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cell — in biology
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. race — a contest
  11. bound — certain
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cell — a phone
  14. race — humankind
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. 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