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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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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: ruler · tube · fork · rest · rash · bound · stem · present

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bound — certain
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. present — a gift
  7. fork — in a road
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rest — a break
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rest — what's left
  19. present — the time now
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. tube — a container
  22. present — there
  23. rash — hasty
  24. ruler — for measuring

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