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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: bay · ruler · wound · coach · pass · stem · band · hand

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — in cards
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wound — an injury
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a ring
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. pass — a permit
  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