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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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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 · bound · stem · racket · stand · temple · fall · cue

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cue — for pool
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rest — a break
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fall — to drop
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fall — the season
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. cue — a signal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cue — a hint
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. rest — what's left

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