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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: ruler · content · chair · bank · mouse · bowl · bound · stem

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stem — to come from
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — happy
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. content — the amount
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. stem — a stem cell

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