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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fall — to drop
  6. board — a committee
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. board — to get on
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lean — to bend
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lean — thin
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. stem — of a plant

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