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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. stem — to come from
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. branch — a division
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. root — of a word
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — in football
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. root — of a plant
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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