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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bulb · stem · last · cabinet · nail · stick · court

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bulb — for light
  8. court — of law
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. last — final
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. last — finally
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. last — to go on
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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