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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: dip · band · bay · foot · ground · stem · face · bound

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bound — certain
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ground — crushed
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. face — to point toward
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ground — a position
  16. dip — to sink
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bound — tied together
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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