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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 · board · stand · jam · cap · rock · race · fan

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stem — to come from
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. cap — a lid
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. race — a contest
  12. rock — music
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. race — humankind
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rock — a stone
  20. board — to get on
  21. cap — of ice
  22. race — the arms race
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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