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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.

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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. tear — from crying
  3. object — to protest
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. staff — a stick
  7. object — an aim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. object — a thing
  11. staff — employees
  12. tear — to rip
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. staff — employees
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a dance

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