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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.

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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: content · cold · rush · stem · wake · stand · lash · bay

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — happy
  7. stem — to come from
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cold — not warm
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cold — an illness
  24. stand — to bear

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