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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. net — in sport
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. spring — a coil
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. net — for catching
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. net — after costs
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spring — the season
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spring — of water
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lash — to lash out

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