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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. last — to go on
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. key — for a lock
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. rest — a break
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rest — what's left
  13. last — finally
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. key — in music
  20. last — final
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stem — a stem cell

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