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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. court — for sport
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. court — of a king
  9. current — of water
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rash — hasty
  12. current — happening now
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rock — music
  17. current — electric
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. court — of law
  22. stem — to come from
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rash — a series

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