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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stem · rash · coach · rest · ball · hide · racket · fine

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rash — hasty
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fine — all right
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ball — a dance
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — a series
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. hide — animal skin

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