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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. firm — a company
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mark — a grade
  14. season — in sport
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stem — to come from
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. lash — an eyelash

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