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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. spell — a short time
  5. dip — to sink
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ground — the earth
  8. stand — to bear
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rest — a break
  11. spell — magic
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stem — to come from
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — a position
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. fine — all right
  24. spell — letters

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