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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 116 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
468
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: bay · stem · hand · mate · rash · shower · board · stand

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rash — hasty
  6. hand — help
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mate — to breed
  10. board — a committee
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. shower — rain
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stand — to bear
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. rash — a series
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mate — a friend
  22. board — to get on
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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