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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
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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: last · stem · chip · coach · rock · lash · land · safe

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — music
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rock — a stone
  8. land — ground
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. last — to go on
  11. chip — to eat
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. chip — for betting
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. last — final
  17. land — to come down
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. land — a country
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. last — finally
  24. stem — a stem cell

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