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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: stem · spring · rock · stand · cell · suit · board · mark

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spring — a coil
  5. board — a committee
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. spring — the season
  10. cell — in biology
  11. stem — to come from
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mark — a trace
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stand — to bear
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spring — of water
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. stand — on your feet

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