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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stem — to come from
  5. season — in sport
  6. swing — to play on
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. charge — a price
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. hand — help
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. swing — music
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. season — of the year
  18. charge — in control
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. lash — an eyelash

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