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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. band — a ring
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fine — high quality
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. rest — a break
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. fine — all right
  22. lie — to recline
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rest — what's left

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