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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fine — all right
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fine — high quality
  12. foot — a measure
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fork — in a road
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. stem — to come from

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