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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: ruler · wound · root · stock · leaves · cell · bound · stand

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. root — of a plant
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — of a word
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bound — certain
  13. cell — in biology
  14. stock — shares
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bound — tied together
  17. stock — goods
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. root — the cause
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cell — a phone

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