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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: mark · sharp · stem · cue · coach · jam · lash · dip

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — to come from
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. dip — to sink
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cue — for pool
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. sharp — clever

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