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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: spell · lash · fork · stem · leaves · cabinet · mark · game

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fork — in a road
  5. spell — letters
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spell — a short time
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. spell — magic
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mark — a trace
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. game — a match
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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