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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stem · bay · chair · rash · press · bound · squash · present

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. present — there
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stem — to come from
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. present — a gift
  10. bound — tied together
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. present — the time now
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rash — hasty
  18. press — newspapers
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bound — certain
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. press — a publisher
  23. rash — a series
  24. press — to push

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