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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. foot — a measure
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. lie — to recline
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. branch — a division

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