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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: ruler · row · land · stem · toast · bound · can · scale

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — tied together
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. land — to come down
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. land — ground
  11. toast — bread
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. scale — in music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — to come from
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. land — a country
  24. can — to be able to

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