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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — of your body
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. current — electric
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. current — of water
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. can — to be able to
  11. lean — thin
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pass — a permit
  14. can — a tin
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. current — happening now
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. chest — a box
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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