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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 120 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: cell · pass · land · swing · lash · fine · stem · bulb

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fine — high quality
  3. swing — to play on
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. swing — in golf
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. swing — music
  10. land — a country
  11. land — to come down
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — in biology
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cell — a phone
  20. fine — all right
  21. land — ground
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stem — to come from

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