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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. club — for dancing
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. face — to point toward
  8. club — a group
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. hand — help
  16. club — for golf
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. face — to confront
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rock — music
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stem — to come from

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