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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. season — of the year
  5. board — to get on
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. wax — to grow
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. season — in sport
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wax — for sculpting

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