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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. firm — decided
  3. chest — a box
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. board — to get on
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. firm — steady
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stem — to come from
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chest — of your body
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. board — a committee
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. firm — a company

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