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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lean — thin
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. capital — a city
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. capital — money
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lean — to bend
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stand — to bear
  24. craft — boats

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