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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.

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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: root · lash · stem · board · spring · dip · bank · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. spring — a coil
  3. stem — to come from
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. board — a committee
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. root — the cause
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. spring — of water
  15. bank — for money
  16. board — to get on
  17. bank — for money
  18. root — of a plant
  19. spring — the season
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bank — of a river
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. dip — to sink

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