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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 120 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mug — a cup
  4. fall — the season
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. spell — a short time
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. spell — letters
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mug — to rob
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stem — to come from
  18. mug — a face
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. spell — magic
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lash — to lash 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