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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 116 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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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: hide · patient · deal · lash · coach · kick · stem · bore

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bore — to tire
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. deal — to handle
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. kick — in football

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