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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 116 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mine — for digging
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stem — to come from
  10. mug — a cup
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. content — the amount
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mug — a face
  20. content — happy
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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