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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 120 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. net — for catching
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. net — in sport
  11. court — of law
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. net — after costs
  15. stem — to come from
  16. firm — steady
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. firm — a company
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. firm — decided
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — for sport

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