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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: foot · rash · bay · rush · march · stem · fan · wave

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rash — hasty
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rash — a series
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rush — hurry
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. foot — a measure
  19. march — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. march — the month
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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