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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stem — to come from
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wax — to grow
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cell — a phone
  17. track — a path
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cell — in biology
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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