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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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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: lash · race · stem · bay · stand · hand · hide · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. race — the arms race
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — help
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — a contest
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. race — humankind
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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