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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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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: root · rule · bound · safe · stem · face · swing · rush

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bound — obliged
  3. face — part of the head
  4. stem — to come from
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bound — tied together
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. swing — in golf
  12. face — to confront
  13. swing — to play on
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rule — a law
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. swing — music
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bound — certain
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. face — to point toward

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