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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 120 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: chair · safe · racket · stem · face · present · bound · deal

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stem — to come from
  4. face — to point toward
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bound — certain
  9. present — a gift
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — there
  15. chair — a leader
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bound — tied together
  19. deal — to handle
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. present — the time now

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