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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: lash · snap · chair · temple · game · bulb · stem · mug

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. game — wild animals
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. chair — a leader
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. game — a match
  22. snap — to click
  23. mug — a face
  24. chair — to sit on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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