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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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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: spell · coach · tube · stick · hide · foot · stem · bay

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. tube — a container
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. tube — the underground
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. spell — letters
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — magic
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spell — a short time
  24. coach — a trainer

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