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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: lash · cell · stem · suit · toast · rest

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stem — to come from
  3. toast — bread
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — a phone

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