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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 116 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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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: sharp · bay · rest · bowl · kid · mate · board · stem

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. board — to get on
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. kid — to tease
  7. rest — a break
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. board — a committee
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. kid — child
  16. mate — a friend
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stem — to come from
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mate — a partner
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. rest — what's left

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