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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: stand · bound · jam · bulb · stem · chest · squash · rule

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bound — tied together
  5. chest — a box
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. squash — the sport
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bound — certain
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. squash — to crush
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rule — a law
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. rule — government
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rule — to rule out

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