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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: bay · jam · track · spring · mate · stem · lash · chair

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. chair — a leader
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. mate — a friend
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mate — to breed
  14. spring — of water
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. spring — the season
  17. mate — a partner
  18. track — a path
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. track — a song
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — a coil

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