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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: rest · jam · bound · rash · spell · pound · stem · face

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rest — what's left
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stem — to come from
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rash — a series
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rest — a break
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. face — to confront
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. face — to point toward
  18. spell — letters
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bound — certain
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. pound — a weight
  23. spell — magic
  24. pound — to hit hard

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