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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: jam · lean · board · bat · stem · hide · pass · drill

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. lean — thin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. board — a committee
  15. pass — a permit
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. board — to get on
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stem — to come from

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