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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. key — in music
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rule — a law
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rule — government
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stem — of a plant

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