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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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Word bank
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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: stem · file · rule · hand · sharp · bound · suit · pit

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. file — a document
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pit — in a race
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bound — certain
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rule — government
  10. hand — help
  11. stem — to come from
  12. suit — in cards
  13. file — a tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bound — tied together
  22. file — a line of people
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. suit — to fit

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