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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: lash · object · hide · rock · degree · stand · net · stem

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. object — an aim
  4. net — after costs
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. stem — to come from
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. rock — music
  13. degree — from a university
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. object — a thing
  17. net — for catching
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — an amount
  21. net — in sport
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rock — a stone
  24. hide — to keep secret

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