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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: bulb · mark · stem · bear · lash · perch · wake · coach

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. perch — the fish
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bear — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. mark — to pay attention

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