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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: pound · file · bound · rule · perch · rush · stem · racket

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. file — a document
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. file — a tool
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rule — government
  20. bound — certain
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rule — a law
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pound — to hit hard

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