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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bowl · bound · squash · stem · lash · rest · staff · nail

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bound — tied together
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. staff — employees
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — certain
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stem — to come from
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. staff — employees
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. staff — a stick
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bound — obliged

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