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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. ground — a position
  12. game — a match
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stem — to come from
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. ground — the earth
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rash — hasty

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