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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: press · stem · sharp · leaves · stock · cue · lash · foot

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. foot — a measure
  3. press — to push
  4. cue — for pool
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. stock — goods
  7. stem — to come from
  8. cue — a signal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stock — shares
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. press — a publisher
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. sharp — clever
  19. press — newspapers
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. stock — a soup base

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