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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: rash · can · chest · game · rush · stem · bay · toast

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. can — to be able to
  12. game — a match
  13. rash — a series
  14. game — wild animals
  15. chest — of your body
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. can — a tin
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. toast — bread
  22. chest — a box
  23. stem — to come from
  24. rush — to hurry

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