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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: trunk · firm · sharp · bound · lie · can · pass · stem

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bound — obliged
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stem — to come from
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. can — to be able to
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bound — tied together
  14. firm — steady
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. can — a tin
  18. firm — decided
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bound — certain
  22. firm — a company
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pass — a permit

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