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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: toast · coach · straw · lash · stand · stem · plane · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stand — to bear
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bore — to tire
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bore — to drill
  23. toast — bread
  24. stem — of a plant

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