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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: lash · net · rush · leaves · rule · stem · bat · bear

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rule — a law
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stem — to come from
  11. net — after costs
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. net — for catching
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bear — the animal
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. leaves — of a tree

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