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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stand — to bear
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. fine — high quality
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bear — the animal
  9. court — of law
  10. rule — a law
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rule — government
  13. court — for sport
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. court — of a king
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rule — to rule out

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