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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. game — wild animals
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. board — to get on
  10. pit — a hole
  11. club — a group
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stem — to come from
  14. board — a committee
  15. club — for dancing
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. club — for golf
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. game — a match

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