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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. club — for golf
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. club — a group
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. staff — employees
  10. current — electric
  11. club — for dancing
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. current — of water
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. last — finally
  20. last — final
  21. current — happening now
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. stem — to come from
  24. mine — for digging

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