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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: stem · face · bowl · bound · stick · jam · band · wave

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. band — a ring
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. band — a music group
  11. bound — certain
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. face — to confront

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