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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. last — finally
  8. bound — tied together
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. last — final
  11. can — a tin
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. face — to confront
  14. can — a tin
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bound — certain
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. face — to point toward
  19. last — to go on
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stem — a stem cell

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