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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cold — not warm
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. kid — child
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. season — in sport
  20. mug — a face
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. kid — to tease

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