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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. cue — a signal
  9. swing — music
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. lean — thin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rock — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cue — a hint
  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