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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: wave · stem · jam · lash · vault · calf · stick · straw

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stem — to come from
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. vault — a safe
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. lash — to lash out

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