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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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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 · hide · bear · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. cell — in biology
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cell — a phone
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rest — a break
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bear — to put up with

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