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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: jam · rash · mark · calf · wake · stem · lash · roll

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rash — a series
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. roll — a list
  10. stem — to come from
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rash — hasty
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mark — a trace

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