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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. staff — employees
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — to come from
  8. wound — an injury
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. wound — an injury
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. roll — a list
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. prune — to trim

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