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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 120 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: rash · bear · coach · leaves · arm · wound · stem · racket

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rash — hasty
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wound — an injury
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stem — to come from
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rash — a series
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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