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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: field · mouse · lash · bay · tube · saw · stem · staff

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. field — a subject
  5. tube — a container
  6. stem — to come from
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. staff — employees
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — for sport
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. field — farmland
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. staff — employees

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