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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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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: stem · wave · kick · lie · cue · root · land · lash

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. cue — a signal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. kick — in football
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. root — of a plant
  8. land — a country
  9. root — the cause
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cue — for pool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stem — to come from
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. land — to come down
  23. lie — to recline
  24. root — of a word

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