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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. kick — in football
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cell — in biology
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. race — a contest
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. race — humankind
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cell — a phone
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — a practice
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bass — low music

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