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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · bound · wave · stand · bulb · chair · temple · stem

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bound — certain
  4. stand — to bear
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rash — a series
  7. bound — obliged
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. chair — a leader
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rash — hasty
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stem — to come from
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bound — tied together
  24. stand — on your feet

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