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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: bay · leaves · bore · lash · stem · wound · current · chair

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. current — happening now
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. current — electric
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. current — of water
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stem — to come from

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