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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stem — to come from
  3. kick — in football
  4. bound — obliged
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pop — music
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bound — certain
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pop — soda
  19. bass — low music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. safe — out of danger

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