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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 · rush · stem · club · lie · board · bay · content

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. content — happy
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. club — for dancing
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. bound — obliged
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bound — certain
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rush — hurry
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bound — tied together
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. content — the amount

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