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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stem — to come from
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rash — a series
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. deal — to handle
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rash — hasty
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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