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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mate — a partner
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. ball — a dance
  7. firm — steady
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ball — a great time
  10. charge — a price
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mate — a friend
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. chest — of your body
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mate — to breed
  19. firm — a company
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. firm — decided
  22. chest — a box
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. charge — in control

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