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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: wound · bass · bear · stem · firm · saw · rush · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — steady
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. firm — decided
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wound — an injury
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rush — hurry
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. firm — a company
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stem — to come from

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