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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stem — to come from
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mate — to breed
  7. track — a song
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. track — to keep track
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stand — to bear
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — to wash
  14. mate — a friend
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. track — a path
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mate — a partner
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. pop — music

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