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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.

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: patient · wake · squash · last · pass · stem · board · wound

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. board — a committee
  6. wound — an injury
  7. board — to get on
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wound — an injury
  11. stem — to come from
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. squash — to crush
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. last — to go on
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. last — finally
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pass — a permit
  24. last — final

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