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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 · stem · stock · can · coach · ball · leaves · mate

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stock — shares
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mate — a partner
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stock — goods
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mate — to breed
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. can — a tin
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stem — to come from
  19. mate — a friend
  20. can — a tin
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lash — an eyelash

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