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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rush — hurry
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stem — to come from
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. net — after costs
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. net — in sport
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. net — for catching
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. tear — to rip
  23. current — of water
  24. bowl — a dish

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