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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: wake · stem · stand · plane · firm · rock · rash · bay

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. firm — decided
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stand — to bear
  7. firm — steady
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rock — music
  10. wake — a trail
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. firm — a company
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rash — a series
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stand — for spectators

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