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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. present — a gift
  5. scale — in music
  6. present — the time now
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — to get on
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lean — to bend
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stem — to come from
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. present — there
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. scale — size or range
  23. board — a committee
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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