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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
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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: board · bore · lash · rash · stem · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rash — hasty
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bore — to tire
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. bore — to drill

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