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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ground — crushed
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ground — a position
  7. squash — the sport
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. squash — to crush
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ground — the earth
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stem — to come from
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stem — of a plant

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