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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: rock · bound · lash · band · stem · racket · sharp · jam

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. sharp — clever
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rock — a stone
  6. band — a ring
  7. rock — music
  8. bound — tied together
  9. band — a music group
  10. bound — obliged
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — to come from
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bound — certain

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