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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: mark · staff · face · track · board · lash · suit · stem

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. track — a path
  3. staff — employees
  4. mark — a grade
  5. staff — a stick
  6. face — to point toward
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mark — a trace
  10. face — to confront
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. board — to get on
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. track — a song
  15. staff — employees
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stem — to come from
  18. face — part of the head
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. stem — a stem cell

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