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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: bound · stem · date · spell · bowl · roll · rule · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rule — a law
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stem — to come from
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. spell — letters
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. date — the fruit
  18. spell — a short time
  19. roll — a list
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. spell — magic
  24. date — on the calendar

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