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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bulb — for light
  12. kick — in football
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bulb — for light
  17. file — a tool
  18. squash — to crush
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. file — a document
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. stem — to come from
  24. squash — the sport

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