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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. stem — to come from
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. vault — a safe
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. perch — the fish
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — finally
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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