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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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rule — government
  6. spring — of water
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. spring — a coil
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rule — a law
  13. staff — a stick
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. staff — employees
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. spring — the season
  20. staff — employees
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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