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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. content — happy
  7. content — the amount
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stem — to come from
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. root — of a word
  15. scale — in music
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. scale — size or range
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. prune — to trim

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