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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 116 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. cue — a hint
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cue — a signal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bass — low music
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. lash — an eyelash

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