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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: firm · stem · wound · lash · coach · object · charge · date

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. charge — a price
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. firm — steady
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wound — an injury
  13. date — the fruit
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. object — an aim
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. object — to protest
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. charge — in control
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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