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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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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 · band · tube · lie · suit · roll · ball · lash

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. band — a ring
  11. tube — a container
  12. ball — a great time
  13. band — a music group
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ball — a dance
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. lie — to recline

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