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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mark — a trace
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. craft — boats
  6. rest — what's left
  7. root — of a word
  8. season — of the year
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. season — in sport
  15. rest — a break
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. root — the cause
  19. rest — what's left
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. root — of a plant
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stem — to come from

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