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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: squash · press · bound · mouse · bank · lie · stem · jam

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stem — to come from
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. squash — the sport
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bank — for money
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bank — for money
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. press — newspapers
  19. squash — to crush
  20. lie — to recline
  21. press — to push
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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