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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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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: spring · root · stick · mate · wave · lash · scale · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. scale — in music
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. root — of a word
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. root — the cause
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spring — the season
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. spring — of water
  21. root — of a plant
  22. spring — a coil
  23. scale — size or range
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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