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

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. sharp — clever
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. stem — to come from
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. temple — side of the head

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