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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.

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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: net · cue · calf · rule · bay · stem · bound · rest

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. net — after costs
  3. rest — a break
  4. stem — to come from
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. cue — a hint
  8. net — in sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. net — for catching
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bound — certain
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rule — a law
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cue — a signal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. calf — of the leg

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