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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 120 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: row · bound · stem · wax · spell · present · suit · hand

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bound — obliged
  4. hand — in cards
  5. spell — magic
  6. row — to paddle
  7. present — the time now
  8. hand — help
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bound — certain
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. present — a gift
  13. row — a line
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. spell — letters
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. spell — a short time
  23. present — there
  24. suit — in cards

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