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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. season — in sport
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mug — a cup
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stock — shares
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. season — of the year
  13. stock — goods
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mug — a face
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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