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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: rock · coach · cell · chip · stem · lash · bulb · spring

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. spring — the season
  3. cell — a phone
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cell — in biology
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rock — a stone
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stem — to come from
  22. rock — music
  23. chip — for betting
  24. spring — of water

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