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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. net — in sport
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. net — after costs
  7. bank — for money
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. degree — from a university
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. degree — temperature
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. degree — an amount
  24. net — for catching

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