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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. lean — thin
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. board — a committee
  11. hand — help
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. board — to get on
  16. fine — all right
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lean — to bend
  19. fine — high quality
  20. hand — in cards
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mate — a partner
  24. lash — an eyelash

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