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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fork — in a road
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. swing — music
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mate — a partner
  15. board — to get on
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mate — a friend
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. board — a committee
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mate — to breed
  24. swing — to play on

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