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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 · mouse · bass · cue · stand · leaves · board · tear

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. stem — of a plant
  2. tear — to rip
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cue — a hint
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bass — the fish
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bass — low music
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. tear — from crying
  20. board — to get on
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. board — a committee
  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