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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 116 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: current · stem · root · coach · lie · lash · rest · kid

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rest — what's left
  3. root — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stem — to come from
  9. current — happening now
  10. rest — what's left
  11. root — the cause
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. root — of a word
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. rest — a break

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