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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: stem · content · squash · track · bay · bear · current · lash

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. content — the amount
  3. track — a song
  4. current — electric
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bear — the animal
  8. squash — the sport
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. current — happening now
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. track — to keep track
  15. current — of water
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stem — to come from
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. track — a path
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stem — a stem cell

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