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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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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 · bound · band · rush · firm · spell · suit · lie

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. band — a ring
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. firm — decided
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. band — a music group
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. firm — a company
  13. spell — magic
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. firm — steady
  19. bound — obliged
  20. suit — to fit
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bound — certain
  23. suit — clothes
  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