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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. capital — a city
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. capital — money
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. branch — a division
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. lean — thin
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rash — hasty
  22. lean — to bend
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rash — a series

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