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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stand — to bear
  3. chip — to eat
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rock — music
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rock — a stone
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pitch — completely
  14. chip — for betting
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stem — a stem cell

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