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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. present — the time now
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pop — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. present — a gift
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rock — music
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rock — a stone
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pop — to visit
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. present — there
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. arm — part of the body
  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