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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mark — a grade
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. trunk — of a tree

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