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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 120 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. season — in sport
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. hide — to keep secret

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