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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. race — humankind
  4. branch — a division
  5. cue — for pool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. race — a contest
  8. wind — moving air
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. cue — a signal
  15. race — the arms race
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. hide — to keep secret

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