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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hand · stem · board · drill · pass · band · bay · coach

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. board — a committee
  6. band — a music group
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. hand — help
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — to get on
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. hand — in cards
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. band — a ring
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. drill — army training

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