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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · game · safe · chair · craft · stem · date · leaves

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. craft — boats
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bound — tied together
  19. date — the fruit
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. craft — a skill
  24. chair — a professorship

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