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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 · bear · stem · tube · lash · bound · wake · firm

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. tube — a container
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. firm — a company
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bound — obliged
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. firm — decided
  17. mark — a grade
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. firm — steady
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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