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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: stem · bulb · wave · board · saw · band · lash · bound

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bound — obliged
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. band — a music group
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. band — a ring
  24. wave — of the sea

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