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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: mug · key · bound · stem · degree · stand · clip · rule

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. clip — for paper
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — temperature
  10. rule — a law
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bound — certain
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stem — to come from
  17. degree — an amount
  18. clip — a video
  19. key — in music
  20. mug — a face
  21. key — for a lock
  22. clip — to cut
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rule — government

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