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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: date · lash · bowl · sharp · hide · suit · stick · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stem — to come from
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — clothes
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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