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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. stem — to come from
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chair — a leader
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. current — electric
  24. 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