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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. face — part of the head
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rash — a series
  8. shower — to wash
  9. hand — help
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. face — to point toward
  12. shower — rain
  13. stem — to come from
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. hand — in cards
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. rash — hasty
  22. face — to confront
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. safe — out of danger

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