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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: saw · board · stick · bound · stem · deal · row · charge

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bound — certain
  3. row — a line
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. row — to paddle
  13. charge — a price
  14. bound — tied together
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. charge — electricity
  18. board — to get on
  19. deal — to handle
  20. charge — in control
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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