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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 · foot · bark · stem · suit · land · rush · lie

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. land — a country
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stem — to come from
  7. land — ground
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. foot — a measure
  12. land — to come down
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bark — to shout
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rush — hurry
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. stem — a stem cell

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