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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: bound · rest · mug · suit · stem · rash · clip · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mug — a face
  3. bound — obliged
  4. clip — to cut
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rash — a series
  8. bound — certain
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — tied together
  12. clip — for paper
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mug — to rob
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. scale — in music
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rash — hasty
  23. clip — a video
  24. scale — size or range

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