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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 · board · kick · rash · mark · current · staff · squash

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. squash — to crush
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. staff — employees
  10. rash — hasty
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. staff — a stick
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. rash — a series
  16. staff — employees
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. current — happening now
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. kick — in football
  23. board — to get on
  24. mark — a grade

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