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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: stem · swing · lash · hide · track · nail · bark · bulb

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. track — a path
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. track — to keep track
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — to come from
  15. track — a song
  16. bulb — for light
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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