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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: nail · bound · racket · perch · lash · prune · stand · stem

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — to trim
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. perch — the fish
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bound — certain
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bound — obliged

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