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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pound — a weight
  7. object — to protest
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pound — for dogs

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