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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rest — a break
  10. charge — in control
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. ball — a great time
  18. charge — electricity
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rest — what's left
  22. charge — a price
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ball — a dance

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