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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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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: root · stick · stem · staff · wave · wind · clip · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. root — the cause
  4. clip — a video
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. clip — to cut
  7. root — of a word
  8. staff — employees
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wind — moving air
  14. root — of a plant
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. clip — for paper
  17. stem — to come from
  18. staff — employees
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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