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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: season · stand · stem · staff · squash · bank · row · scale

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. staff — employees
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stem — to come from
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bank — for money
  8. season — of the year
  9. scale — in music
  10. row — a line
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bank — of a river
  17. staff — a stick
  18. season — in sport
  19. scale — size or range
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bank — for money
  23. staff — employees
  24. stem — of a plant

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