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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 · cell · drill · prune · plane · rush · mark · stem

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. cell — a phone
  6. prune — to trim
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cell — in biology
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bound — tied together
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bound — obliged
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bound — certain
  24. stem — to come from

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