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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: stock · suit · sharp · rule · nail · root · bound · content

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bound — certain
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bound — obliged
  9. root — the cause
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rule — government
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stock — shares
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stock — goods
  17. content — happy
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — the amount
  22. sharp — clever
  23. suit — in cards
  24. nail — on a finger

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