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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chest — a box
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. board — a committee
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chest — of your body
  8. board — to get on
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stem — to come from
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wake — a trail
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fine — all right
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. kick — in football
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fine — high quality
  24. arm — a part of something

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