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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: stem · chair · nail · rest · bound · bowl · rush · stand

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rush — hurry
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stem — to come from
  12. chair — a leader
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — for a hammer

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