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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stem — to come from
  4. staff — a stick
  5. suit — clothes
  6. staff — employees
  7. roll — a cake
  8. saw — the tool
  9. roll — a list
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pop — to visit
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. staff — employees
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ball — a dance
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. suit — in cards
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stem — a stem cell

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