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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. spell — magic
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. spell — letters
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. object — an aim
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. object — a thing

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