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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wake — a trail
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. court — of law
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rest — a break
  15. press — newspapers
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stem — to come from
  24. lash — an eyelash

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