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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. present — there
  4. shower — rain
  5. present — the time now
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. present — a gift
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pitch — completely
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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