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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
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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: sharp · spring · spell · leaves · cue · snap · lash · stem

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — for pool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. cue — a signal
  6. snap — to click
  7. spell — letters
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. spring — a coil
  10. stem — to come from
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. spell — a short time
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. spring — the season
  16. sharp — clever
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. spring — of water
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spell — magic

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