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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. chest — of your body
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. board — a committee
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. chest — a box
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — clothes
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stem — to come from
  23. chest — of your body
  24. board — to get on

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