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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: chest · staff · coach · rush · board · stem · dip · content

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. rush — hurry
  4. board — to get on
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. staff — a stick
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. chest — a box
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. board — a committee
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stem — to come from
  19. content — the amount
  20. staff — employees
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. content — happy
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. staff — employees

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