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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: can · straw · pit · stem · mark · bear · rush · board

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pit — in a race
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. board — a committee
  7. bear — the animal
  8. can — a tin
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. can — a tin
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bear — the animal
  20. board — to get on
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mark — a trace

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