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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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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: suit · mate · lean · row · hide · stem · present · lash

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. row — a line
  4. lean — thin
  5. present — the time now
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mate — to breed
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. present — a gift
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stem — to come from
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. row — to paddle
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. present — there

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